The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

The four stood in silence facing a rock wall and had no idea what to do with it. Xinyi walked to the wall and brushed her fingers over it. Trying to feel and find something, a hint maybe to help her open it. Or maybe a secret button. Later, her arms went frail at her sides, aching after raising it for minutes.

"I don't know what I'm looking for." She leaned her head on the wall, trying to hear on the other side. Then her eyes lit up. A thought came. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the power inside her. The Hutyuns became visible. 

General Lofey and Tyriece were wide-eyed to see thousands of tiny animals floating around her. Tyriece blinked his eyes, making certain he was seeing right. The two turned to Nianshi. The latter only smiled, putting a finger on his lips and said in a hushed tone, "She is concentrating. Ask later." All eyes went back to her.

The Hutyuns and her mind became one. As she lifted her hand and moved, the Hutyuns formed a wide circle on the wall. They moved clockwise, digging into the walls at amazing speed. Before the dust settled on the ground, they had reached ten yards, but no passage seen.

The spider clicked its tongue. "Are you dumb? Use your power to go in, not through your strength." 

Xinyi looked back, feeling stupid to receive a scolding from an insect. But did not give it much thought. She closed her eyes and tried to understand what the spider meant. "Is the physical road beyond this wall or it's another way and we can enter through magic?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure that you can only enter through magic," answered the spider, rolling its eyeballs.

"That's the same, you asshole," yelled Tyriece at the cringing fox spider.

She closed her eyes again and sought the power inside her, but to no avail. And faced Nianshi. "Do you have any idea how to do this?"

Nianshi thumbed his chin and said, "Try searching for traces of magic on the wall, My Lady. Let your power surged through and feel any magical connection. Once you see one, connect to it. It will guide you once you make a connection."

Xinyi placed her palms on the wall again and focused her mind. She thought of Ming, letting her emotions flow. Nianshi and the Hutyuns moved back, afraid of her surging powers from striking them while she let her powers connect to every part of the wall.

A minute after, she heard a male voice. "Stop, my lady. No need to harm me."

"Who are you?" she said, but Tyriece and Lofey could only hear her. They assumed she made a connection on someone behind the wall.

"I'm the portal to the chameleon's lair. I've been waiting for you. Move back and allow me to open the way."

"I got it," Xinyi instantly blurted in delight. She never thought it was that easy. Everyone's eyes went to the wall. Suddenly, the hole the Hutyuns made vanished and a wide hallway with bluish-white walls took over. There was a light at the far end. 

They unhurriedly walked in. Careful from entering something unknown. After they stepped inside, the wall closed back in the blink of an eye, but the entire wall became flat outside. The hole made by the Hutyuns was no longer present, but they could not see it anymore as they trod inside.

The wall's instant closure made them wary. However, they didn't look back or ask the fox spider. They moved on, exploring the place to search for Ming. Minutes had passed, yet they had not reached the light. While walking they thought they were getting nearer, but as they continued, the distance was still the same.

However, Xinyi had a premonition from the start, sensing a disturbing power at the far end, but still tried probing what it was or from where it came from. She understood it was hiding its true nature from her.

"This is not right. There's something wrong in this place." Tyriece voiced out.

"I agree. I think it's time to ask the pesky insect," General Lofey added.

They squinted their eyes at the spider. Those glares were like lightning strikes at the imprisoned fox spider, making its hair stand on end. 

"You brought us here to manipulate us, didn't you?" Xinyi asked and held the stone cage, threatening to shake it.

"No! Please don't do that. Hehe, there's no need to kill me, ya know?" The spider's feet slightly trembled, thinking of the strong-willed portal spirit fearing her surging powers earlier.

Xinyi held back but gave him a deep look, conveying she meant business.

The fox spider knelt and bowed prostate. "Look sorceress, I'm only a being that loves games and makes tests for those who enter, but I sure ain't the true guardian of this place. All I know is that these things that you guys are going to face aren't gonna give ya a welcome party for coming in here. No siree!"

The more the fox spider spoke, the more Nianshi felt more annoyed with its lies. But he also understood what it meant. He already sensed a pulsing power ahead when they entered but shut his mouth, expecting Xinyi felt it too.

"Look here, we want answers now!" Lofey yelled at the caged half-man sized spider as his agitation grew.

The spider gulped the choking fear in his chest. "All I know is that I'm not the only spiritual creature inside this cave. There are more in here, but scarier and dangerous." It stared at the unmoving light ahead and curled in fear. "Please, go back."

Xinyi sensed it was telling the truth. She followed the insect's line of sight but could not perceive what was in that light to make its body shake in fear. 

She composed herself and properly analyzed the area. It was dark and chilly. The walls emitted a ghostly light. Such an atmosphere would scare any normal person or would run into panic. But not them. In some ways, they were not normal.

The only bright light that was there was the light that they had seen as they entered the place. Xinyi looked around, then back to the men that had pledged their lives for this trip. And thankful for their composure.

The Hutyuns spoke to her mind, asking if they could go to check who or what was in that light, but she rejected the idea. She would not allow them to get caught again. Losing them was a blow to her as their queen. She promised to take good care of them and she would keep it while she lives.

"Let's move forward to the light," she said. "Be ready for any surprises." No one dared to question her and started walking again but as they did, it felt like the light was moving further away from them but they couldn't tell much.

"My lady, I don't doubt you or anything, but doesn't it feel like we've been walking for too long now?" Tyriece spoke what was on his mind. His hand held ready the hilt of his sword.

"Uhm," she nodded. She looked at the light from far up ahead and made a run to it, testing if her hunch was right.

"What the...," Tyriece blurted out.

"It moved!" Lofey shouted, running passed Tyriece. He understood what Xinyi was up to.

"Damn it. I thought, I'm the only one who saw it moved," Tyriece said as he ran fast after them. Nianshi stayed last in case something would jump at their backs.

They caught up with her, but a scary growl stopped them in their tracks. Then they heard a crackling noise. And jerked their heads to the source, the stone cage Tyriece held. The noise came from the fox spider's trembling knees. Worst, it literally shed its hairs on the ground, as if the barber shaved-clean its white fur to baldness.

More growling came to their ears, sending their attention back to the light. Out of a sudden, the light descended, and it stopped halfway. A deafening howl followed, echoing in the passageway. They instantly covered their ears. The stinging howls penetrated their ear drums, letting them fall on their knees while squinting their eyes in pain.

"It sounds like a powerful spirit dog." Nianshi hesitated, then realized it wasn't a dog as the light slowly illuminated the entire area. 

A fierce man-size bear fox appeared before them. It had the head and hind legs of a bear while its body, front legs, and tail of a fox. Its fur was white as snow. But what shocked them most was the true nature of the bright light they had thought was the end of the tunnel. It came from the dangling earrings of the fox, diamond-shape shiny earrings.

The fox was majestic and elegant with his brilliant fur, glowing as the earrings illuminated. But they sensed that it was no friend. 

"My lady, what are your orders?" Tyriece slowly unsheathed his sword. Xinyi gestured for him to sheath it back as she moved closer to the fox, attempting to communicate with it.

"We mean no harm, oh great fox." Her hand reaching for the bear fox's head, which was five times bigger than her head.

The fox's deep-sea-blue eyes glared at them. Then its body slowly transformed into a woman. Not just an ordinary woman, but a dashingly beautiful one. Her snow-white hair and black clothes swayed as though a breeze blew on it. Her skin was pale but eye-catching. 

She eyed the scared stiff spider. "You useless creature, you led them here," she growled again, exposing her fangs as her eyes slowly turned red. The tunnel rumbled, knocking them off their feet, aside from Tyriece whose feet turned into rock.

The woman bear fox squinted her eyes at Xinyi. "You really came as she said. But let's see if you can pass this." 

Before Xinyi could react, the passage disappeared from their sight. They suddenly found themselves in a snowy land.